CNG Conversion: The Government is in the process of expanding the distribution of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) as we move to a cheaper, economically efficient and environmental friendly fuel system. [Crosstalk]

Mr. Speaker: Order!

Hon. K. Nunez-Tesheira: As a consequence, we propose to remove the Customs Duty and Value Added Tax on the conversion kits for modifying from gas to CNG kits. Further to this measure the Government proposes to convert all public service vehicles to CNG usage. [Desk thumping] The Government will also put measures in place to increase the number of service stations and geographic distribution of these stations offering CNG. This will be achieved over the next two years and begin a progressive move to reduce the fuel subsidy which now amounts to $2.4 billion.

Increase in the price of Premium Gasoline. The Government proposes to increase the price of premium gasoline from $3 per litre to $4 per litre.

Hon. Members: Wow! [Crosstalk]

Mr. Speaker: Order!

Hon. K. Nunez-Tesheira: This measure will affect the high end of the market and will take immediate effect. The price for other grades of fuel will be retained.

[Desk thumping] We envisage that there would be no increase in the cost of transportation charged by maxi-taxis, buses, the majority of taxis and other transport vehicles that use diesel and super unleaded fuel for which the prices have been maintained. [Desk thumping]

If they believe that by accusing us of corruption will improve their political fortunes because their government fell on corruption, in this PNM Government we have no Ramesh, we have no Ralph, we have no Sudama and there is no cause for any person like that to collapse the Government. We do not have that. Three of their Cabinet colleagues walked out of their government. We are not opportunists you know, Mr. Speaker, and I will give you an example.

When they were about to implode, I was in Tobago and got a call from a highranking UNC official who told me that Ramesh wants to talk to me because he wants to bring the government down. I said: “Talk to me? I will not speak to Ramesh.” If he wants to talk to the PNM, it has a leader, it has a party headquarters and he can go there because I will not speak to him. So today when he talks about he is best friend of who and who, they know who they will tell that to. The next thing I knew, I saw him in certain situations and clearly I knew he spoke to people, not to me because I do not trust him as far as I can throw him.

Rowley like Hilton “Calcutta” Sandy demonstrated his hate for the Indian community and culture when he took “umbrage” to Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar touching the foot of Indian President Pratibha Patil

"I am a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago and I take umbrage at my Prime Minister going to anybody's country and kissing any office holder's foot,"

"Nobody sent the Prime Minister abroad to represent her religion or her race.”~ Keith Rowley

Things turned nasty in the House of Representatives on Wednesday night during the debate on the Caricom (Skilled Nationals) (Amendment) Bill 2003, reaching a low point when one Government MP made remarks, which the Opposition branded racist.

Laventille East/Morvant MP Fitzgerald Hinds, a Government backbencher, read out a passage from “Inward Hunger” by Dr Eric Williams, including phrases like “by hook or crook they brought out the Indian vote” and “a hostile and recalcitrant minority.” Hinds said: “This is the danger facing the people of Trinidad and Tobago — exploiting race as the basis of political power. Dr Wiliams saw it as a danger then, and it is a danger now. Since that time ‘they’ have been construing these noble words in their own racist terms.” Opposition MPs vocally took offence to Hinds interrupting his speech with shouts of “You are being racist!” and “In 2003?!”

Responding to comments made by Dr Keith Rowley concerning the crime situation in Laventille, Member of Parliament for Laventille East/ Mor-vant, Fitzgerald Hinds, yesterday embraced Rowley’s remarks, ad-ding that they were in sync with the comments that he himself usually makes on a daily basis to the people of Laventille and other people of TT. Hinds said he was quite excited by what Rowley said. Rowley, Minister of Planning and Development, was addressing a sod turning gathering for the Beverly Hills Housing project on Friday, when he waded into the residents about their condoning, and even encouraging an attitude towards crime. Hinds said the potency of the truths Rowley spoke was very stimulating indeed. Hinds said he also noted the responses of the people who are affected and afflicted by the crime situation in Laventille. Hinds added that what is left now for the people of Laventille is not for them to hear but to heed the advice of Rowley and take immediate changes in attitude — “ then can we move forward, converting Laventille to a happy existence renamed, “Loveuntil.” Hinds said that in his opinion the Government can, must, and is doing its part, but at the end of the day, it’s really the people who will make the difference. He ended: “I am hopeful and optimistic that we as a community can resolve these issues and return to normalcy again.”

Laventille and surrounding environs are considered one of the most depressed areas in the country, with high crime rates and unemployment rates and with many of the residents living in substandard conditions. ~ Patrick Manning – Hansard Wednesday, September 28, 2005

“One minister’s comments was that Dr Rowley was totally out of line, his attitude was uncalled for and his attitude was unbecoming of a senior cabinet minister.”

Manning said a second minister said it was “wajang behaviour”. “A third minister described it as hooligan behaviour. A fourth minister described it as unacceptable behaviour, and the fifth minister said, “‘I took no offence’.

“I don’t know what to say about the Integrity Commission. They need a bush bath because they always seem embroiled in confusion,”

“I wish they would sort themselves out because we seem to be in an endless cycle of bacchanal, leading to a change of the membership. New membership comes in...more bacchanal,”

The PNM MP and former Cabinet minister added: “I would say for five years, it seems that everybody who is appointed to that board finds themselves to be a target and then the whole thing just descends into chaos which is what we are seeing here.”

PNM Senator Fitz­gerald Hinds said the way the fund was introduced was very political, with the Government trying to give the impression that the PNM never did anything for the health of children and that for the first time “the bright and beautiful Kamla Persad-Bissessar and her friends were going to look after children. So I found that whole thing stupid and political”.

The Sunday Express yesterday attempted to visit Miller and members of her community at St Francois Valley Road, Belmont, and were called "vultures" by Hinds, who was also waiting nearby to visit with her.

Prime Minister Patrick Manning says he has had it with the media.Further, Manning said, “If the spirit moves me,” he will not hesitate to visit media houses to complain if he disapproves of the content they produce.

They found million of dollars in drugs on Monos Island and no one held responsible ~ COLM IMBERT January 31, 2014.

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Posts : 532Join date : 2011-01-27

Subject: Re: Fitzgerald Hinds Quotes Sat Feb 08, 2014 8:28 pm

Hinds said when he used to attack the UNC senators every Tuesday in the Senate, “looking to lick dem down in the interest of the people of this country”, they (UNC mem¬bers) would tell him, “Why yuh don’t behave like Penny.”

Reminiscent of the “Dollar Wine” soca song, Hinds said: “I don’t want to behave like no Penny; no cent, five cent, ten cent; this thing call for dollar!” The crowd was in uproar. “Jah!” Hinds exclaimed.

Robinson-Regis derided Roberts, saying he liked to be loud and to shout, but was an “empty vessel” and a “soft man”. Calypsonian Penguin’s “Woman Don’t Like Soft Man” was then played and the audience sang along. She said Rowley was a man of steel. “He is not a soft man, I have been told,” she said, provoking chuckles from the audience. The audience shouted the names of “Faris” and “Hinds”, and Robinson-Regis said she was also informed they too were not “soft men”.

The Prime Minister came here and made an argument about he cannot understand how a small contractor in Tobago could hire NH, a bigger contractor, and it has been a matter of concern to him and so on and so on, but the company was not too small to hire Michael Zang, but it is too small to hire NH. Do you understand?

Dr. K. Rowley:In the evidence before the Uff Commission, UDeCott is confronted with a situation where they hired Senior Counsel. I presumed they paid Senior Counsel—Senior Counsel money is big money—to advise as to whether it is proper to award a contract to a company who claims to be the subsidiary of another company on the strength of the parent company. The legal advice which they have, which is evidence before the commission, is that you cannot do that. You cannot award a contract to company A on the strength of company B, C or D. When the commission asked UDeCott: “Why did you do that in the face of your legal advice?” UDeCott said: “Because we are the board and we could disregard the advice. That is the evidence.” I did not make that up. That is the evidence: We the board could have legal advice. They cannot deny advice because it is there in documentary form. When asked: Why did you do that? They said because the board is free to do that. My argument to the commission and now here is: Is that proper governance? Is that right? Look at what happened at Petrotrin. If that argument is held, is it that things could have been different? Is there anybody in the Cabinet this evening who could get up and tell me that they knew what was going on at Petrotrin?

Dr. K. Rowley: Did they know? I am talking about—it is not a question of “'fraiding” anybody; it is a question of we are all going to hell in a hand basket, because we are not doing what we are supposed to do.

HANSARD: Monday, October 19, 2009Dr. K. Rowley: The Minister of Housing, Planning and the Environment with responsibility for UDeCott could never have made the statement she made last week unless she knew she had the support of the Prime Minister. Any Prime Minister who hears a Minister doing that would have intervened, not only with UDeCott, but with the Minister.

Dr. K. Rowley: That is not "wajang" behaviour; that is acceptable. But as a country, I do not care whom you vote for; I do not care whom you worship. Governments in any country are damaged by that kind of behaviour. If this country cannot call to order its Prime Minister, its Cabinet and its political party to say we are not accepting that, God help us. People whom we hire ought never to get bigger than those who hire them. The Government is hired by the people.